This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000379 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/OP/NEA 
 
E.O. 12958:    N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV NP
SUBJECT: REVISED CASUALTY ESTIMATES FOR ACHHAM AS 
PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON EMERGENCY STALLS 
 
REF(S):  (A)  KATHMANDU 0377; (B) KATHMANDU 0333 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU)  Revised casualty estimates for the Maoists' 
Feb. 17 attacks on an airport and district headquarters 
in Achham indicate that nearly 130 were killed, most of 
them security forces.  Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba 
was expected to address Parliament the morning of Feb. 
18, beginning debate on the ratification of the state of 
national emergency declared Nov. 26.  The session was 
temporarily suspended, however, after Opposition MPs 
interrupted the Home Minister's report on the Achham 
incident.  End summary. 
 
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CIVILIAN CASUALTIES REVISED DOWNWARD 
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¶2.  (U)  Initial civilian casualty estimates for the 
deadly Feb. 17 attacks on the airport, district 
headquarters, police station, and Royal Nepal Army (RNA) 
barracks in Achham in western Nepal (Ref A) have been 
revised sharply downward.  Information to date indicates 
that only five civilians--the Chief District Officer, 
the local head of the National Investigation Department 
and his wife, the postmaster, and a photographer--were 
killed in the midnight assault on the district 
headquarters.  The number of RNA killed stands at 48, 
including a captain and a lieutenant, while the number 
of police casualties is estimated at 76 (49 at the 
police station in Mangalsen and 27 at the airport). 
(Note:  Ministry of Defense tallies do not include the 
police casualties at the airport.  End note.)  Casualty 
figures for the Maoists are unavailable, although the 
RNA has reported finding only three bodies of suspected 
Maoists at Mangalsen. 
 
¶3.  (U) Besides attacking the District Administration 
Office, prison, army barracks, and police station and 
robbing a bank at Mangalsen, the insurgents also set 
fire to the post office, the tax office, forestry and 
livestock offices, and the Nepal Telecommunications 
Office.  Communications to the district have been cut 
off since 3:00 a.m. Feb. 17. 
 
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PARLIAMENTARY SESSION SUSPENDED 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) PM Deuba was expected to address Parliament at 
11:00 a.m. on Feb. 18 at a session originally scheduled 
for debate on ratification of the three-month-old state 
of emergency (Ref B).  However, when Home Minister Khum 
Bahadur Khadka rose first to report on the Achham 
incidents, he was immediately shouted down by Opposition 
MPs clamoring for the PM to address the session instead. 
Parliament was suspended after 45 minutes of chaos 
(including, by some accounts, benches being tossed 
around), until 3:00 p.m.  As of 4:00 p.m., however, the 
session had not resumed, with the Government of Nepal 
(GON) apparently resisting Opposition pressure to have 
the PM, rather than the Home Minister, speak about the 
bloody attacks.  The session may resume after 5:00 p.m. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶5.  (SBU)  Even with the revised casualty numbers, the 
attacks in Achham still stand as the bloodiest in the 
six years of the Maoist insurgency.  If the Maoists 
meant to put pressure on Deuba just as debate on the 
emergency was set to resume, they seem to have 
succeeded.  That Nepal's Parliamentarians could not 
overcome their personal political rivalries long enough 
to allow serious, reasoned debate of this national 
emergency is disturbing, but not surprising.  If the 
squabbling in Parliament succeeds in postponing debate 
on the emergency much longer, the Maoists will have won 
yet another victory--but this time without having to 
fire a single shot. 
 
Malinowski